There was disappointment yet again for Aisam and Rojer after they crashed out of the Australian Open yesterday. PHOTO: FILE AFP
The duo got off to a good start, winning the first set 7-6 on a tie-breaker. But Bellucci and Paire bounced back in the second set 6-3 and booked their place in the last-eight after a hard-fought third set 7-6.
“It was a tough match but we tried our best,” Aisam told The Express Tribune. “It’s a very competitive sport and I just want the other players to take us like a threat in these events. We have our rankings in place and we will be improving as the year progresses.”
Aisam’s next assignment is to play for Pakistan in the Davis Cup tie against Sri Lanka starting on February 1.
“The goal is to get Pakistan in the group I of the Asia-Oceania zone. We’ve stayed in the second tier for too long now. We want the federation to play an active role in holding the Davis Cup ties at home as that changes everything and increases our chances to win.”
Djokovic survives scare from Wawrinka
Meanwhile, defending champion Novak Djokovic survived an early onslaught and a late fightback from Stanislas Wawrinka in a pulsating fourth-round clash to advance to the quarter-finals.
Djokovic clinched a tense 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7, 12-10 victory on his third match point in five hours two minutes.
The world number one, seeking to become the first man in the professional era to win three successive Australian Open titles, will now meet fifth seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, David Ferrer was faultless as he dispatched Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to set up an all-Spanish last-eight clash with Nicolas Almagro.
Sharapova shatters record on way to last eight
In the women’s singles event, Maria Sharapova enjoyed the smoothest passage to the Australian Open quarter-finals in history.
The world number two clocked up her fifth 6-0 set score of the first week as she blitzed Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-0 to reach the quarters for the loss of just five games, smashing the tournament record.
The four-time Grand Slam winner said her thoughts never strayed beyond her next opponent, in this case fellow Russian Ekaterina Makerova.
“It’s not about waiting to see where you are in the semis or finals, it’s about who’s ahead of you,” said Sharapova. “And my next match is against Makarova. I have to do the right things to beat her.”
In other matches Li Na beat Julia Goerges 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 while Agnieszka Radwanska downed Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-4. (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2013.
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SInce when has Australian Open started taking place in Sydney?